


Walker Reformed

by mysteriousStarlight



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Just posting on ao3 for easy sharing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 06:25:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12978012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysteriousStarlight/pseuds/mysteriousStarlight
Summary: A story about societal expectations.





	Walker Reformed

Walker Reformed:  
By Lukas Pierce

 

This world has two types of people: Those who sit, and those who walk.

The walkers carry their children from birth until they are old enough to walk on their own.  The sitters hold their children off of the ground until they are hearty enough to withstand the cold or heat.  They never stand, usually sitting near streams or ponds within arms reach, so they can grab what they need.   They depend upon the walkers to bring them food, from the rest of them world, and they provide the walkers with fish and clothing made from the reeds on riverbanks.  The sitters also bear children for the walkers. If a child appears to be a walker, an adult walker is called, who approaches and whisks them away. These children are taught to walk and run as their first priority. They are then never allowed to stop to rest, and especially not to sit down.   The children born with weaker legs, or no legs at all, are assumed  to be sitters, and they are kept with the adult sitters, being taught to make clothing.  

This not the story of a sitter child. This is the story of child named Alex. He was destined to run. He wants to walk with the walkers, but he was born with weak looking legs. He was never allowed to walk, or even stand, and his legs atrophied.  

One day, at age 14, he attempted to stand up. The sitters did not understand why he would want to stand, when there was no need for him to.   They pushed him away, forced him away from the stream.  He sat for days by himself, until the walkers returned to exchange food for clothing.   He looked after them longingly, unable to chase after them with weak legs.  One walker named James saw him, and took pity on him.   James took the child, and carried him with the walkers like he was a very young walker, teaching him to walk like any other.  

It took many years, but the child was able to walk naturally.  Alex was still not as strong as those who had been walking their whole life, and occasionally had trouble keeping up with the rest of his kind, but the other walkers, who had grown accustomed to him, and seen him grow into a walker like the rest of them understood, and would slow down to help him keep up his place near the center of the group. 

Once he became an adult he noticed that the sitters could no longer tell that he used to be one of them, and when the time came he found a young walker of his own to teach, to watch over, and to protect.  When that child found that they fared better with the sitters, he ensured they'd welcome her with open arms like the walkers did to him.


End file.
